Annealing effects on the magnetic properties of highly-packed vertically-aligned nickel nanotubes

Abstract

We reported an efficient way of preparing large and dense ferromagnetic arrays of vertically-aligned Ni nanotubes (NTs). The synthesis method allowed then for a direct, effective and controllable thermal conversion of the as-prepared Ni NTs into heterostructured Ni/NiO NTs, without compromising the nanostructures' verticality to the substrate and their initial tubular integrity. Next, we demonstrated the ability to tune the dipolar interaction field (DIF) in this array of one-dimensional (1D) Ni/NiO heterostructures, just by slightly changing the thickness of the antiferromagnetic NiO layer. Furthermore, the proposed fabrication method assures full compatibility with the standard Si processing, providing thus a direct pathway towards large-scale integrability and manufacturing of a new generation of magnetic devices relying on dense arrays of vertical 1D magnetic nanostructures.